FWM Godparents Sunday - Family Wellness Ministry · “Agape” Bookstore, which will be open after...
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Godparents/Godchildren Sunday & Grandparent /Grandchildren Sunday Reflection by Fr. Luke Veronis How many of us know of someone who says, “I believe that you have to give children the freedom to learn on their own. You shouldn’t force your own beliefs upon them. Let them discover truth for themselves gradually, as they grow up.” This is a common mantra I have heard from people not committed to any religious faith. How do we respond to that? Well, when one priest heard this comment, he invited the person to come and see the beautiful garden he had behind the church. This skeptic was a fond lover of flowers and gardens, so they followed the priest enthusiastically. As they looked behind the church, though, they saw a field covered with weeds. Every few feet, one could see a beautiful flower trying to pop up its head, yet everywhere dominated the thorns and thistle. As the skeptic looked with a perplexed glance, the priest highlighted, “There is a beautiful garden here, but it is hidden under the many weeds and thorns fighting for space. To bring forth the beauty of the garden, a gardener must weed it continuously, water it, nourish and care for the flowers, so that they increase and grow, while the weeds decrease and diminish. IF one lets the field on its own, it will naturally be full of weeds.” Aren’t our children and youth like this garden? Full of great potential, but in need of much care and cultivation. There are many influences battling for their attention in our world today. Only when we protect them, nourish them, prune them, and care for them, can they grow into the beautiful flowers they were meant to be!” St. Theofan the Recluse, one of the most famous Russian saints, said, “Of all holy works, the education of children is the most holy.” We see the special love that Christ had for children in the story where people were bringing little children to Jesus for him to bless them. His disciples rebuked the parents, thinking that Jesus was too busy to be bothered with insignificant children. Christ, however surprised his disciples by saying, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for to such as these belongs the Kingdom of God. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mk 10:14 Children hold such an essential part in the lives of many. Whether we are parents, grandparents, godparents, uncles, aunts, or teachers, most of us hold certain children dear to our lives. They bring us joy, as well as heartache. They lift our spirits, as well as challenge our patience and endurance. They are a blessing to us, just as we are called to be a blessing to them. Caring for our children and raising them by the grace of God, is a sacred, yet sobering, blessed yet challenging responsibility. That is why parents often need the assistance of others, like grandparents, godparents, uncles, aunts, and friends of the family. The Church has always understood the central role the family plays in the formation and education of children. It is in the home that we discover and develop our identity, cultivate our virtues, create our visions, and prepare ourselves for the world outside. It is in the home where we are first educated and taught about the divine. It is in the home that we say our first prayers, and discover the importance, or unimportance, of God and faith. It is our family that creates a foundation that often stays with us until the end of our lives. Indeed, the Book of Proverbs wisely teaches, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from the path.” (Prov 22:6) On Godparents/Godchildren Sunday, together with Grandparents/Grandchildren Sunday - We lift up these two important roles and relationships that many of us have in our lives, but we could just as readily lift up the parents themselves, along with the uncles, aunts, teachers, and any Christian adult who has a relationship with children. As Christian adults, we have a sacred task to instill in our children a Christ-centered foundation, an immoveable base that does not chase after every modern fad and ideology, but which remains firm upon our 4000 year Judeo-Christian heritage. A central teaching in the Old Testament tells us: “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) The word of God is supposed to be
Transcript of FWM Godparents Sunday - Family Wellness Ministry · “Agape” Bookstore, which will be open after...
Godparents/GodchildrenSunday&Grandparent/GrandchildrenSundayReflectionbyFr.LukeVeronisHowmanyofusknowofsomeonewhosays,“Ibelievethatyouhavetogivechildrenthefreedomto
learnontheirown.Youshouldn’tforceyourownbeliefsuponthem.Letthemdiscovertruthforthemselvesgradually,astheygrowup.”ThisisacommonmantraIhaveheardfrompeoplenotcommittedtoanyreligiousfaith.Howdowerespondtothat?Well,whenonepriestheardthiscomment,heinvitedthepersontocomeandseethebeautifulgardenhehadbehindthechurch.Thisskepticwasafondloverofflowersandgardens,sotheyfollowedthepriestenthusiastically.Astheylookedbehindthechurch,though,theysawafieldcoveredwithweeds.Everyfewfeet,onecouldseeabeautifulflowertryingtopopupitshead,yeteverywheredominatedthethornsandthistle.Astheskepticlookedwithaperplexedglance,thepriesthighlighted,“Thereisabeautifulgardenhere,butitishiddenunderthemanyweedsandthornsfightingforspace.Tobringforththebeautyofthegarden,agardenermustweeditcontinuously,waterit,nourishandcarefortheflowers,sothattheyincreaseandgrow,whiletheweedsdecreaseanddiminish.IFoneletsthefieldonitsown,itwillnaturallybefullofweeds.”
Aren’tourchildrenandyouthlikethisgarden?Fullofgreatpotential,butinneedofmuchcareandcultivation.Therearemanyinfluencesbattlingfortheirattentioninourworldtoday.Onlywhenweprotectthem,nourishthem,prunethem,andcareforthem,cantheygrowintothebeautifulflowerstheyweremeanttobe!”
St.TheofantheRecluse,oneofthemostfamousRussiansaints,said,“Ofallholyworks,theeducationofchildrenisthemostholy.”
WeseethespeciallovethatChristhadforchildreninthestorywherepeoplewerebringinglittlechildrentoJesusforhimtoblessthem.Hisdisciplesrebukedtheparents,thinkingthatJesuswastoobusytobebotheredwithinsignificantchildren.Christ,howeversurprisedhisdisciplesbysaying,“Letthechildrencometome,donothinderthem,fortosuchasthesebelongstheKingdomofGod.TrulyItellyou,anyonewhowillnotreceivethekingdomofGodlikealittlechildwillneverenterit.”Mk10:14
Childrenholdsuchanessentialpartinthelivesofmany.Whetherweareparents,grandparents,godparents,uncles,aunts,orteachers,mostofusholdcertainchildrendeartoourlives.Theybringusjoy,aswellasheartache.Theyliftourspirits,aswellaschallengeourpatienceandendurance.Theyareablessingtous,justaswearecalledtobeablessingtothem.
CaringforourchildrenandraisingthembythegraceofGod,isasacred,yetsobering,blessedyetchallengingresponsibility.Thatiswhyparentsoftenneedtheassistanceofothers,likegrandparents,godparents,uncles,aunts,andfriendsofthefamily.TheChurchhasalwaysunderstoodthecentralrolethefamilyplaysintheformationandeducationofchildren.Itisinthehomethatwediscoveranddevelopouridentity,cultivateourvirtues,createourvisions,andprepareourselvesfortheworldoutside.Itisinthehomewherewearefirsteducatedandtaughtaboutthedivine.Itisinthehomethatwesayourfirstprayers,anddiscovertheimportance,orunimportance,ofGodandfaith.Itisourfamilythatcreatesafoundationthatoftenstayswithusuntiltheendofourlives.
Indeed,theBookofProverbswiselyteaches,“Trainachildinthewayheshouldgo,andwhenheisold,hewillnotdepartfromthepath.”(Prov22:6)
OnGodparents/GodchildrenSunday,togetherwithGrandparents/GrandchildrenSunday-Weliftupthesetwoimportantrolesandrelationshipsthatmanyofushaveinourlives,butwecouldjustasreadilyliftuptheparentsthemselves,alongwiththeuncles,aunts,teachers,andanyChristianadultwhohasarelationshipwithchildren.
AsChristianadults,wehaveasacredtasktoinstillinourchildrenaChrist-centeredfoundation,animmoveablebasethatdoesnotchaseaftereverymodernfadandideology,butwhichremainsfirmuponour4000yearJudeo-Christianheritage.
AcentralteachingintheOldTestamenttellsus:“ThesecommandmentsthatIgiveyoutodayaretobeuponyourhearts.Impressthemonyourchildren.Talkaboutthemwhenyousitathomeandwhenyouwalkalongtheroad,whenyouliedownandwhenyougetup.Tiethemassymbolsonyourhandsandbindthemonyourforeheads.Writethemonthedoorframesofyourhousesandonyourgates.”(Deuteronomy6:6-9)ThewordofGodissupposedtobe
aclosecompanioninourlives.Itissomethingwetalkaboutcontinuouslytoourchildren,guidingthemintoadynamicrelationshipwithourlovingFatherinheavenandteachingthemtoloveHimaboveallelseinlife.St.Clementemphasized,“Theprimarylessonforlifemustbeimplantedinthesoulfromtheearliestage,andtheprimarylessonforchildrenistoknowtheeternalGod,theOnewhogiveseverlastinglife.”Asgodparents,andgrandparents,howcanyoufulfillthissacredtaskyouhaveinassistingparentstoraisetheirchildreninagodlyfashioninthemidstofasecularworld.Ihaveafewsuggestions:
1.Becomeastrongsupportfortheparentsbytakinganactiveinterestintheoveralllifeofthechild,includinghis/herspiritualdevelopment.Asagodparent,theseparentschoseyoutobeaspiritualinfluenceinthelifeoftheirchild.Fulfillyourrole,notsolelybygivingmaterialgiftsonbirthdaysandChristmas,butmoresofulfillyourrolebysettingagoodChristianexamplewithyourlife.BeaconstantremindertothechildofhisChristianidentityandChristianresponsibility.Andbothgodparentsandgrandparents,rememberthatparentscanoftenuseanotherperspectiveandwillinghandastheyguidetheirchildreninadulthood.
2.Praythroughtheupsanddownsoflifewithyourgodchildandgrandchild,andletthegodchildandgrandchildknowthatyouareprayingforthemeveryday.Teachthemhowtopray!Praywiththem.OneofthegreatestgiftsyoucangiveachildistobuythemasimpleOrthodoxPrayerBook,andthenteachthemhowtouseit!Ournew“Agape”Bookstore,whichwillbeopenafterLiturgy,issellingsomegreatprayerbooksforchildren!Buyonetodayandgiveittoyourgodchildandgrandchild.
3.Celebrateyourgodchild/grandchild’sspecialdays,remindingthemthattheirlifeisagiftfromGod.WhattheydoinlifewillbetheirgiftbacktoGod.Alongwithbirthdays,celebrateyourgodchildandgrandchild’snamedayinaspecialmanner.Buythemaniconoftheirpatronsaint.Findthelifeofthesaintandshareitwiththem.Dosomethingspecial,andspiritual,withthemonthispersonalfeastday.
4.Onotherholidays,likeChristmasandEaster,emphasizethespiritualaspectsofthefeasts,creatingmemorableChrist-centeredtraditions.Don’tsimplyfollowthecommercialandmaterialtemptationsoftheseholidays.Becreativeasyoutrytobeaconstantreminderofthatwhichisholy.
5.Asagodparent,thischildreceivedhis/herfirstHolyCommunioninyourarms.Remindthechildhowyouwerethereforhis/herfirstHolyCommunion,andinvitethemtocometoChurchwithyou,andreceiveHolyCommuniontogetheronceagain.Ifyoulivecloseby,makethisaregulartradition.Ifyourgodchildlivesfartheraway,gooutofyourwaytodothisasoftenaspossible!Andgrandparentscanfollowthesameadvice!
6.CallyourgodchildorgrandchildeverySundayandaskthemwhattheylearnedinSundaySchool.EvenaskthemiftheyremembertheGospellesson,anddiscusswhatlessonstheylearnedfromit.Don’tbeembarrassed,orafraid,todiscusssuchspiritualissueswiththechild.Ifyouwon’tdoit,whowill?
Onthesamelineofthought,buythechildanageappropriateBible,andtellthemthatyou’regoingtoaskthemquestionsaboutthedifferentstories.Asthechildgrowsup,buyotherBiblesthatwillspeaktohis/herage.
7.Encourageyourgodchild/grandchildtoserveGodthroughvolunteeringincommunityserviceprojects.Connectyourlifelessonswithtoday’sGospelReadingoftheLastJudgement–“Whateveryoudototheleastofmybrothersorsisters,youdotome.”Agreatwaytobondwiththechildistomakeaspecialvisittogethertoanoldagehomeorhospital.Asthechildgrows,challengethemtoparticipateinacross-culturalmissiontrip.Astheythinkaboutcollegesandtheirfuture,encouragethemtoconsideravocationinservingGod–plantaseedforonetopossiblybecomeapriest,oraChurchworker.
8.Finally,keepfrequentcontactwiththechildren.Sendthemlovenotesoften.Dropthemtexts,emails,andphonecalls,Letthischildknowthatnomatterhowmuchdistanceseparatesyou,yourlovewillalwaysbecloseby.Thegreatestgiftachildcanhaveistheloveofthoseclosetohim/her.Remember,“Ofallholyworks,theeducationofchildrenisthemostholy”St.Theophansaid.Letallofusgodparentsandgrandparents,aswellaseveryChristianadult,heedthesewords,andfulfilloursacredresponsibilitytoourchildren.
